Hand signal for motorists



April 1943- G. T. SHERWOOD 2,317,227

HAND SIGNAL FOR MOTORISTS Filed Dec. 3, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l April 1943. e. T. SHERWOOD 2,317,227

HAND SIGNAL FOR MOTORISTS Filed Dec. 3, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I I 0108612- kfiyzgwman,

.I'NVENTOR.

Patented Apr. 20, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application December 3, 1941, Serial No. 421,472

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a hand signal for motorists for-executing signals of a semaphoric character according to a legal traflic code.

Although at the present time there are known to be a number of different hand carried traffic signal devices which are provided with brilliants or lenses which have a high capacity for reflecting extraneous light cast upon them, yet these have hitherto been found more or less defective in operation by reason of. not being constructed in such a manner as to indicate clearly at night the inclination of the arm with which the autoist is displaying the signal. Satisfactory night signalling cannot be performed by means -of, for example, a single circular reflecting lens strapped to the hand of the driver, for, although such a lensor reflector will be displayed at different heights in making different "signals, yet the position of the signal element as to the height alone, does not enable approaching drivers to determine with sufficient quickness and accuracy the angular position of the extended arm whereby the signal is being given.

The signal means provided by this invention is particularly well adapted for being used on country roads at night when the arm which operates the signal cannot be seen, but the position and inclination thereof determined only by the appearance of the signal elements as they reflect the light from the lamps of cars approaching from the real..

It is an important object of this invention to overcome the above mentioned defect in signaling by providing a hand-carried signal structure of such a character that the observer of the signal will not only perceive the reflected light thereof but will also immediately discern the angle or direction of the extended signaling arm.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved hand harness or partial glove for supporting the signal elements, whereby the drivers hand will be encumbered to a minimum extent, leaving it more free to be used in controlling the steering wheel.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved signal glove for motorists wherein a directional signal indication is displayed by the extension of the hand and additional follow up signal indications are displayed by opening up the fingers of the hand emphasizing the signal, the vehicular code movement of which is about to be executed.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a battery of chevronically arranged direction indicating elements mountable upon the human hand.

Yet still another object of the invention is to provide for motorists, for use in executing a signal code a hand harness carrying a plurality of direction indicating signals extending lengthwise of the hand adapted to have their end edges brought into contiguity by unflexing the hand, which movement brings the several signals successively into display.

Still other objects, advantages and features of invention will hereinafter appear.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate what is at present deemed to be preferred embodiments of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the back side of the device;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the device shown applied to the hand and looking toward the thumb side thereof; I

Fig. 3 is a side elevation per se of the signal battery applied to the middle joint of the finger shown in Fig. 1 illustrating one way of fastening said battery to the hand harness; a portion of the frame being broken away to show interior adjacent structure;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 illustrating an alternate embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the alternate species applied to the hand.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the invention as seen therein comprises a flexible hand harness I consisting of two distinct finger stall formations 2 and 3, a back or metacarpal hand part 4 continuous therewith, and a Wrist part 5 which serves to attach the device to the hand of the user. The back or metacarpal portion of the harness carries an elongated metacarpal signal element 6. The finger stall portion 2 carries a signal member 1, which when the harness is in the applied condition overlies the proximal joint of the middle finger, and a signal member 8 which occupies the middle joint of the same finger. The wrist band 5 carries a wrist signal member 9 which, when the device is in the applied condition, occupies a position on the underside of the wrist. The light reflecting signal members 6, l, 8 and 9 are all of an elongated character, and they all extend in an adjacent relation to each other lengthwise of the hand, except the wrist member 9a which in the modified showing extends at a right angle to the others.

Each of the signal indicating members consists of a battery of miniature light reflecting lenses arm is extended in executing the particular signal code. Hence these signal lenses considered collectively indicate to the observer the angular position of the arm of the signaler, and this, in turn, interpreted according to the prevailing code, will indicate to drivers in the rear, the vehicular movement about to be executed.

The semaphore hand signal code adopted by the divisions of motor vehicles of many states provides for indicating a left turn, right turn, and a stop. However, in making these signals manually in the dark it is'quite diflicult to in-, terpret them, especially if a single circular lens be employed. In whatever angular position the arm may be held, if only a round signal be displayed at night, a correct interpretation of the 1 position of the arm will be diflicult, and under such circumstances the life of the driver will be placed in jeopardy. V

In the improved hand signal which forms the subject matter of this invention the chevronic arrangement 7 itself is direction indicating in character. Moreover, as the metacarpal signal member 6 is brought into play, a warning indication is instantly noted, and a subsequent followup extension of the signals 1 and 8 on the finger portion of the harness successively brought into view by unflexing the fingers f the hand in relation to the wrist stresses the direction indication of the vehicular movement which the motorist is about to execute. When it is desired to slow down or stop, the chevronic indication of the wrist signal 9 alone clearly forecasts the execution of the stop movement, since, when the hand is downwardly directed the apex of the chevrons point downwardly,

.The several chevronically arranged batteries of signal lenses may be applied to the hand harness in any suitable manner, preferably by metal clips In as indicated in Figs. 1 and 3, fastened at the mid-length thereof, thus permitting the fingers to grip the steering wheel without undue strain being placed upon the fabric of that portion of the harness, and without bending the signal members themselves. Snap buttons II and I2 secure the wrist part to the human wrist.

The V-shaped rows of the chevron-wise arranged lenses of each battery are alternately red and white to strengthen and render more distinctive the directional arrangement of the lenses of each row. A suitable reflecting medium may also be applied to the underneath side of each I row of lenses to aid .in reflecting the extraneous light cast thereon by the lamps of an approaching autoist.

The batteries 1 and 8 are shown mounted respectively in frames [3 and [4 having parallel sides and chevron shaped ends; and the batteries 6 and 9 are mounted respectively in frames I5 and 16 having sides and ends shaped like those of batteries l3 and I4. The arrangement of the individual signal elements of each battery is in chevronically shaped rows, which rows parallel the chevron shaped frame at each end of the battery. Each row is cemented together in any suitable manner along their adjacent edges and as aforesaid alternate in color and are provided with a reflecting medium on the underneath side as indicated by the numeral I1 in Fig. 3.

Referring to the modification of the invention shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the four batteries of the reflecting elements are arranged similarly on the hand harness and are numbered the same except for the additionof the exponent a. Howeverthe batteries Ia and 8a are shown mounted respectively in rectangular frames Ba and Ila.

having rounded comers; and the batteries and 9a are mounted respectively in frames |5a and IGa having parallel sides and rounded ends. Also the arrangement of the individual signal elements of each battery is in rows'extending at a right angle to each other, instead of in the chevronic style as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In the alternate embodiment the signal elements comprising the battery are preferably cast as a unit.

Owing to the modification functioning similarly to the form shown in Figs. 1-3 no separate further description thereof is deemed necessary.

What is claimed is: v

1. In a signal of the kind described, a hand harness provided with means whereby it is attachable to the hand in an overlying relation both to the metacarpal portion of the hand and to at least one of the fingers thereof, a light reflecting member comprising an elongated battery consisting of a plurality of intimately associated miniature light reflecting lenses carried dorsally by the applied harness and a more distal light reflecting member comprising a battery similar to the first recited battery mounted upon said harness in-a spaced relation to the first recited reflecting member, a joint of the hand intervening between said members when said harness is applied, thereby enabling the user by flexing such joint of the hand to vary the angular relation of said members to bring their adjacent ends into contiguity and form one continuous directional indication.

2. In a signal of the kind described, a hand harness, and a plurality of batteries of miniature light reflecting lenses occupying a definite exterior surface of the back and underside wrist portions of said batteries of harness, saidlenses being arranged in a chevron-wise formation with the apex of each battery and the several chevronwise formations comprising it directed toward the outer end of the applied harness.

3. In a hand signal for motorists, a hand harness including a wristband whereby said harness is securable to the hand, the applied harness including only portions of the fingers and hand, and a plurality of elongated batteries of miniature light reflecting lenses occupying a definite exterior surface of both the hand and finger portion of the harness, the batteries of lenses of the finger and hand portions having between them flexible joints which are constructed and arranged to provide for a series of directional indicating lenses being displayed in contiguous succession by unflexing the fingers of the hand in relation to its wrist, said lenses of each battery being arranged in a parallel spaced chevron-wise formation with theapex of each chevron form ing the battery extending in the direction in which the hand is extended in making a'signal of a well known code for a directional vehicular move about to be executed. and the V-shaped rows of each chevron formation comprising the battery extending fromside'to side of the battery and alternating in color.

f CiEoRGE T. SHERWOOD. 

